Five must-watch campaign ads from this week

Here are five campaign ads that grabbed our attention this week: 

1. Halloween costumes

In Nebraska's 2nd District, Democratic nominee Tony Vargas featured his daughter trying on Halloween costumes in a new ad.

"The other side is trying to make me seem scary, dangerous and too extreme," Vargas says as his daughter tries on costumes to match each descriptor.

"The truth? My dad is a taxi driver and my mom worked a factory line and I'm a former science teacher who's changed more diapers than I can count," Vargas adds.

2. "Kids these days"

Democratic Rep. Cindy Axne is running to defend her Iowa seat against a Republican challenger. In a new ad, she featured two elderly gentleman sitting on a porch, discussing her positions versus those of her opponent.

"Kids these days, Bill," one man says, adding. "Take [Republican nominee] Zach Nunn. He joined Washington politicians who cut Social Security and Medicare to fund tax breaks for rich folks."

3. Footballs to the face

One ad in Ohio this week was funded by the conservative Senate Leadership Fund (SLF) and featured clips from one of Rep. Tim Ryan's, D-Ohio, own ads. In his ad, Ryan threw footballs at TV screens displaying ads against him.

But, SLF interspersed videos of Ryan throwing with others showing people getting hit in the face and chest with balls while a narrator hammered Ryan for his votes in Congress.

The ad ended with a call to "sack Tim Ryan."

4. Back in the middle of the road

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly was back in the middle of a road in a new ad out this week.

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Earlier this year, Kelly stood in the middle of a road to emphasize how moderate and centrist she was. Republican groups took that ad and ran with it, playing a clip of her to criticize her for being too far left in their own ads.

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FOR SUBSCRIBERSJudge guts noncitizen voting law used in Trump administration’s election push

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Now, Kelly says, "I'm back here in the middle of this road last time I told you what we've already accomplished by governing from the middle. Now, here's what we'll do next," before explaining what she plans to do if she wins a second term.

5. Police arresting doctors

In a dystopian ad in Wisconsin, viewers see two police officers responding to the following call on a radio: "All units, all units. Reports of an abortion at Central Hospital. Officers needed to detain doctor."

Then, a narrator says, "If Ron Johnson has his way, he wouldn't just ban abortions. Doctors could go to jail for it."

It's the second ad Democratic nominee for Senate Mandela Barnes has run against Republican Sen. Ron Johnson on abortion.